The present invention relates to a direct drive transmission for heavy equipment and more particularly relates to a multi speed transmission with a two speed underway shift capability coupled with a plurality of speed gears and directional gears to provide an equal number of forward and reverse speeds.
The transmission of power from a vehicle engine to the ground engaging devices of a vehicle such as wheels or tracks, requires some sort of a speed reduction device interposed between the engine and the vehicle wheels, particularly for use during high power requirements and low operating speeds of the vehicle. Such a speed reduction device, commonly called a transmission, generally is peculiar to the type and configuration of a vehicle to which it is associated. In construction equipment, wherein the vehicle may operate at a relatively constant speed for prolonged periods of time or may operate at or below a particular speed, the requirement found in most vehicle transmissions for a multispeed underway capability to provide a wide range of vehicle speeds is considerably diluted. Therefore, a transmission wherein a limited shift capability is available underway with additional shift capability available through direct engagemet of a speed change transmission while the vehicle is stopped is appropriate to such construction equipment.